Fish lure



y 3 R. B. DUNHAM 2,646,642

FISH LURE Filed May 9, 1950 ,0 K INVENTOR Fly. /0 Rona/0 B Dun/7am H/s ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT-i oFFIc FISH LURE v Ronald B. Dunham, Birmingham, Mich.

Application May 9, 1950, Serial No. 160,917

This device relates to a fish lure, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eificient sinking fish lure wherein a hook is carried longitudinally of the spoon, and a weight is carried adjacent the eye of the hook to cause the eye end of the hook and lure to dip and to provide a sinking action with the hook upwardly when tension is released on the line, thereby simulating a swimming action for the lure to attract a fish.

A further object of this invention is the production of a'simple and efi'icient fish lure cornprising a light-reflecting spoon and hook, which lure is weighted at one end and wherein the hook always rides with the hook extending upwardly so that upon the release of tension upon the line,

the lure will dip and flash in the light to provide an attraction to fish, even without the use of conventional bait. V

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claim.

In the drawing: v

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the fish lure;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view;

Figure 4 is an nd elevational view looking at the eye end of the lure;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view illustrating the lure in actual use, with the strands of the tail-piece unravelled to shield th hook from view;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the spoon, the first step in securing the tail-piece to the spoon being illustrated;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the spoon illustrating the second step;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the lure, certain parts of the spoon being shown in section and also illustrating the third step in securing the tail-piece to the spoon;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the lure, illustrating the final step in securing the tail-piece to the spoon and unravelling the tail-piece.

By referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that I0 designates the spoon of the lure, which preferably is made of gold, nickel, copper, brass, or any other suitable material. The material used, preferably is of the type which will fiash in the light or reflect the light when the lure dips or changes its position, the flash of light constituting a means to attract the fish. The

1 Claim. (Cl. 43-4228) spoon I0 preferably is dished as shown, but may be made in various suitable shapes, sizes or from various materials without departing from the spirit of the invention. The spoon I0 carries a longitudinally extending hook I I, the shank of which fits upon the upper face of the spoon l0 and the shank of the hook is located along the central longitudinal axis of the spoon, as shown in Figure l. The spoon is rounded at both ends and tapers from its relatively broad rounded lineengaging end to the restricted or narrowed tailpiece carrying end. A broad and upwardly tapering weight I2 is secured to the upper face of the spoon and extends transversely across the entire width of the line-engaging end and longitudinally of the spoonlfor a distance of more than onethird of the lengthof the spoon as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and securely anchors the hook upon the upperface of the spoon ID. The shank of the hook II is provided with an outwardly and upwardly inclined line-engaging eye I3 adja; cent'the weight I2, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, to which eye I3 the conventional fishing line I4 is secured in a conventional manner. The barb I I of the hookis carried abovethe small end II] of the spoon Ill and points toward the line I4 and eye I3.

The spoon I0 is provided with an enlarged circular aperture I5 at the small end ID of the spool I0, and the shank of the hook II extends across and bisects the aperture I5 and slightly beyond the small end III of the spoon I0. A tail-piece I6, preferably formed of wool strands is secured or tied in position around the shank of the hook II, through the aperture I5 and around the small end of th spoon III in the manner as set forth in the following, two strands being illustrated.

The tail-piece I6 includes a gripping portion I K surrounding the shank and having a plurality of rearwardly projecting end portions which extend beyond the barb Il These end portions also extend outwardly through the aperture I5 which constitutes a segmental aperture since the shank of the hook II extends across and bisects th aperture I5, as shown., These end portions extend upon each side of the shank of the hook I I, thereby defining a loop portion located below the spoon II]. This loop portion is provided with a twisted portion which extends down around the spoon I0 adjacent the aperture I5 to tie the strands of the tail-piece IS. The strands are provided with an unravelled portion shown in Figure 6, which unravelled portion extends beyond the barb to define a feather-like shield for 3 the barb beyond the barb. To facilitate an understanding as to how the finished structure of the tail-piece is obtained, attention is invited to the four steps enumerated as follows:

First step.-Strands A and B are threaded downwardly through the aperture 15 to one side of the shank of the hook II and then threaded upwardly through the aperture 45 upon the opposite side of the shank of the hook H to define protruding ends X and Y and form a depending loop C, the ends of the strands A and B protruding likewise, as shown in Fig. 7.

Second step.The loop C then is twisted adjacent the spoon III, as shown in Figure 8.

Third step.The loop C then is slipped over the eye end of the spoon l and isin the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 9...

Fourth step.-The protruding ends X and Y are then drawn upwardly to tighten the gripping portion K around the small end Hl of the spoon in to lock the strands in a secure position. The strands are. thentrimmed to an even length and all four strands A, B, X and Y are unravelled to provide a feathered shield for the barb i l of the hook, as shown in Figure 6.

It should be noted that the shape of the lure and the position of the weight upon the. spoon, as well as. the location of the. eye [.3 which. is attached to the line 14, will cause the. lure to follow a. straight course. When tension is released upon, the line H, the lure will dip. with the weighted end lowermost and the barb. l-l of the hook. will,alwaysrideiupwardly of the spoon Ill. The: present; fish lure is especially adapted for summer and, winter fishing and. for fishing for blue gill, trout,,bass and perch. The lure may be used to. advantage for catching fish under ice through an. opening in the ice, as well as. for fishingin the spring and summer. With. the presentlure nosinken is necessary since the lure is weighted. The barb l'l may be baited with grub, corn borer, salmon egg, or a piece. of wiggler. At times, no bait is: needed because of the. dipping movement, of. the lure.

It should. be understood that certain detail changes in the mechanical structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

A fish lure comprising a tapering spoon defining a relatively small restricted tail-piece carrying end having an enlarged circular aperture therein, a hook having a. shank extending longitudinally of the spoon and spanning andbisecting said aperture thereby defining a relatively large segmental aperture in the spool to each side of the shank to facilitate the threading of a tail-piece therethrough, a line-attaching means at one end of said hook, a barb at the opposite end of said hook, a tail-piece including a gripping portion surrounding the shank and having a plurality of strands with rearwardly rojecting end portions extending beyond the barb and also extending outwardly through. the. segmental aperture upon each side of the shank, said gripping portion having a loop portion extending below the. spoon, the loop portion having a. twisted portion extending around the spoon adjacent the aperture to tie the strands, and the strands having unravelled portionsextending beyond the barbto define a feather-like shield for the barb beyond the barb.

what is RONALD B.. DUNHAML.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 813,500 Kausch Feb. 2'7, 1906 1,460,905 Huntington July. 3, 1923 1,466,231 Johnson Aug. 28, 1923 1,546,105 Powell July 14, 1925 1,640,599 Conn Aug. 30; 1927 1,789,630 Knight Jan. 20; 1931 1,925,197 Maynard Sept. 5-, 1933 2,018,622 Davenport Oct. 22, 1935 2,095,425 Tveter out, 12, 193'? 2,185,77 1- Mann Jan. 22 1940 

